The described technology relates generally to portable power modules and, more particularly, to portable power modules trailerable over public roads and capable of providing at least approximately one megawatt of electrical power.
There are many occasions when temporary electrical power may be required. Common examples include entertainment and special events at large venues. As the demand for energy quickly outstrips supply, however, temporary electrical power is being used in a number of less common applications. For example, as electrical outages occur with increasing regularity, many commercial enterprises are also turning to temporary electrical power to meet their demands during peak usage periods.
A number of prior art approaches have been developed to meet the rising demand for temporary electrical power. One such approach is a mobile system that generates electrical power using a liquid fuel motor, such as a diesel fuel motor, drivably coupled to an electrical generator. This system is capable of producing up to two megawatts of electrical power and can be housed within a standard shipping container, such as a standard 40-foot ISO (International Standard Organization) shipping container. Enclosure within a standard shipping container enables this system to be quickly deployed to remote job sites using a conventional transport vehicle, such as a typical tractor truck.
Temporary electrical power systems that use liquid fuels, such as petroleum-based fuels, however, have a number of drawbacks. One drawback is associated with the motor exhaust, which may include undesirable effluents. Another drawback is associated with the expense of procuring and storing the necessary quantities of liquid fuel. As a result of these drawbacks, attempts have been made to develop temporary electrical power systems that use gaseous fuels, such as natural gas.
One such attempt at a gaseous fuel system is illustrated in FIG. 1, which shows a side elevational view of a power generation system 100 in its normal operating configuration. The power generation system 100 includes a motor 110 drivably coupled to a generator 120. The motor 110 is configured to burn a gaseous fuel, such as natural gas, and is capable of mechanically driving the generator 120 to produce an electrical power output on the order of one megawatt. The motor 110 and generator 120 are housed within a standard 40 foot ISO shipping container 102, which is supported by a trailer 103 having a tandem axle rear wheel-set 104. The trailer 103 can be coupled to a typical transport vehicle, such as a tractor truck, for movement of the container 102 between job sites.
Unlike their diesel fuel powered counterparts, gaseous fuel power generation systems of the prior art, such as that shown in FIG. 1, have an exhaust gas silencer 114 and a motor coolant radiator 118 installed on top of the container 102 during normal operation. This configuration is dictated by a number of factors, including the size of the gaseous fuel motor 110 and the amount of heat it gives off during operation. The size of the motor 110 reduces the space available inside the container 102 for the exhaust gas silencer 114 and the radiator 118, and the large amount of heat generated by the motor creates an unfavorable thermal environment inside the container for the radiator. Although the exhaust gas silencer 114 and the radiator 118 are installed on top of the container 102 during normal operation, during movement between job sites these components are removed from the top of the container to facilitate travel over public roads.
During normal operation, an air moving system 143 draws ambient air into the container 102 through a first air inlet 130 on one side of the container and a complimentary second air inlet 132 on the opposing side of the container. This ambient air is used for cooling of the motor 110 and the generator 120 and for combustion in the motor. The portion of this air used for cooling, identified as air 131, is discharged out the back of the container 102 by the air moving system 143.
A number of shortcomings are associated with the prior art power generation system 100. One shortcoming is the number of transport vehicles required to deploy the power generation system 100 to a given job site. For example, although the container 102 with the motor 110 and the generator 120 inside can be transported to the job site using only one transport vehicle, an additional transport vehicle is also required to carry the exhaust gas silencer 114 and the radiator 118. In addition, once at the job site, a considerable amount of assembly and check-out is usually required to configure the power generation system 100 for normal operation. Both the exhaust gas silencer 114 and the radiator 118 need to be installed on top of the container 102 and the necessary structural and functional interfaces connected and verified. Similar shortcomings arise when it comes time to deploy the power generation system 100 to a second job site. Doing so requires removing the exhaust gas silencer 114 and the radiator 118 from the top of the container 102, packing the exhaust gas silencer and the radiator for shipment to the second job site, shipping these components and the container separately to the second job site, and then unloading, reinstalling and checking out these components at the second job site.
Additional shortcomings are associated with the configuration of the prior art power generation system 100. For example, the air 131 that has been used to cool the motor 110 and the generator 120 is exhausted out the back of the container 102 because the exhaust gas silencer 114 and the radiator 118 occupy the space on top of the container. The air 131 is warm, thus creating an unfavorable thermal environment around the aft portion of the container 102 for persons or other power modules that function better in cool ambient conditions. In addition, the large quantities of ambient air pulled through the container 102 by the air moving system 143 cause high noise levels at the first and second air inlets 130 and 132.
The foregoing shortcomings of the prior art power generation system 100 offset many of the benefits associated with such a system. Therefore, a temporary electrical power generation system that uses gaseous fuel and has the ability to provide at least approximately one megawatt of electrical power without these shortcomings would be desirable.